Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-06-24
SOME SURPRISING FACTS.

Subject of Business Methods.
Recently we have had another instance
of surprising credulity, or culpable
righteousness, or objectionable ignor.
ance on the part of some women, says
the Christian Union. In 1881 Mrs.
Howe was sentenced to the Massachusetts
House of Correction for three years for
obtaining money under false pretenses.
The history of the case YVES published far
and wide. Mrs. Howe had established in
Boston the Ladies' Deposit Bank; she ad
vertised to pay per cent, on all depos-
it's and three months interest in advance.
The very inducements should have warn
ed honest, intelligent people, but they
did not. Even when an exposure was
made as to the system employed, women
still continued to deposit in the Ladies
Deposit Bank, and when finally it reached
the only end possible to such methods,
S19 depositors were left without their
funds, which amounted to $3.50, 499. The
trial and conviction of Mrs. Howe were
notorious facts; yet on her release. IN
1884, che issued cards with her name and
statement-''S7 Interest on 500 per
month, three months in advance" and
Immediately a business was developed.
Now Mrs. Howe has disappeared with
600 belonging to her clients. How
can such childish faith or grasplng after
nIegitimate returns be accounted for?
woman having the least knowledge of
business must have known that it was
impossible for such returns to be made
honestly. What reason could there be
for one woman to realize on principal re-
turns that capitalists having every ad
vantage could not command: The very
abnormal returns were enough to stamp
the whole scheme as a swindle, but they
did not, and now number of women
are left penniless, to suffer more or less
because of a blind, ignorant faith, or,
worse, grasping after dishonest returns.
The only thing that will save the future
from witnessing the recurrence of such
scenes, under various guises, Is to 1ncro-
duce into wOmen's education practical
ideas of doing business. Scarcely week
passes in which the courts do not hear
some tale of woe and wrong endured by
women because of their ignorant crodnl-
ity. few weeks ago a young woman
drew from the balk $500 and gave it to a
young man to purchase a house, accept
ing as a deed a receipt for premium paid
on life insurance policy of 800. She
saw the outside of the house which the
young man said her money had bought,
and thought it was worth ten times the
money she had given him, and accepted
what he told her without question.
Women sign papers that deprive them of
house, lands and money without investiga-
ton, and are amazed when they find them
selves peaniless.
Not long ago a gentleman was leaving
home for a business trip that would Oc
SavaroI ba sfo ed he
deposited in the bank a sum sufficient to
defray all necessary expenses, and quite
a sum to meet any emergency that might
arise, He then gave a check ook to his
wife, leaving home with the thought that
he had left every thing necessary for the
welfare of his family. When less than
half the time OF his absence had expired,
his wife received notice from the bank
that there were no funds there to meet
her checks. IN great indignation and ex
citment she went to the bank demanding
an explanation. ut could not be possible
that there were no funds, for there was
lots of leaves left in her check book
The value of the remaining leaves was
finally explained to her.
lady was in Europe educating her
children. She wrote to her husband ask
ing for $4,000 to cover the expenses of
a summer tour on the Continent; the hus
band replied that he did not feel that he
could afford that amount of money. She
wrote back asking him why he did not get
a letter of credit for that amount; to
which he again replied that he was not
able to afford that sum of money for
that purpose. When this letter reached
the wife she cabled, is not your credit
good for S1O,O0O?" showing her knowl-
edge and understanding of q letter of
credit.
The ignorance of women on the sub
ject of business methods, of even the
terms used in business, is appalling, and
is the reason why women are the ready
dupes of swindlers and sharpers. Schools
do not supply this knowledge. Fathers,
brothers, husbands, should explain and
teach women the value of money, the i'm
mense power in the signing of a name,
what makes the investigating of money
in stocks, bonds or real estate advanta-
geous or otherwise, and explain the use
of the technical terms used in the bust
ness world, if they would save those they
love from most notifying experiences,
if not cruel suffering.
Women should study these questions
themselves. They are of vital impor-
lance to them, and ignorance does not
plead as an excuse for that which it is
| their business to know, if they think
themselves responsible beings.